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DEL.ICIO.USMother’s Day was Mickelson’s day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Ponte Vedra, Fla. — While Tiger frittered, Lefty sizzled. Sean didn’t have a lot of fun. The Spanish Armada put on a charge. The defending champion missed the cut by a mile. In the long run they still played for The Players Championship at The TPC Sawgrass and the winner was Phil Mickelson.
He was not greeted by his usual committee of family, but doing his victory stroll down the 18th fairway, Mickelson got in his own Mother’s Day greeting by television to his happy family in San Diego. So, in a way, Lefty found his way back from that crushing finish at Winged Foot, where he sliced the U.S. Open title into oblivion. It will, of course, reflect on his new relationship with Butch Harmon, once upon a time counsel to Tiger Woods, who, after a 9:25 a.m. starting time was winging away to a point unknown long before the leaders teed off.
It was lousy breaks on the greens that brought him down, he said.
“Tired of hitting good putts and having them lip out,” he said in his benediction to even-par (288) finish. Another way to look at it, good putts go in the hole, they don’t lip out. Woods’ game has never caught fire in this tournament. He has won once, in 2001, but except for one other year, he has never finished higher than 10th.
It was Mickelson’s day, his week, for he was on or near the lead from Thursday forward. You never saw as many leader changes in a tournament as this. Six players led Saturday, but the one who prevailed was Sean O’Hair, 24-year-old native Texan, thin as a 2-iron, boyish as Andy Griffith’s Opie. Sitting there with a one-stroke lead after the Saturday round, he said of facing off with Mickelson, “I just want to go out there and have some fun. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
And it was, until he and Mickelson, the last twosome left on the course, reached the infamous 17th hole, the island green. Mickelson safely on, O’Hair’s first tee shot was long, wild and wide. Splash. His second, from the drop zone, found the water also. The fun was over. By the time he got the ball in the cup, he was charged with a quadruple bogey, slipped from 10-under to 6-under, over and out, $740,00 by snap calculation. Say this, though, he wasn’t daunted.
“This course fits me. I think I’m going to win here. I’m not going to let this get me,” he said, a rather emboldened reaction to such a crushing collapse. Whether he was exorcising the demons that infected his swing at the 17th, or was making public a personal pledge, it was more impressive than a shower of tears.
With Woods off the stage and in retreat, the show was Mickelson’s. The galleries were in his corner. He played an even-tempered round of golf in 69 strokes, following three rounds of 67-72-69, and the 72 was probably the most impressive of the three. Nothing sensational, just steady, full speed ahead kind of golf that restored much of the glitz and glitter that slipped away with that awful self-destructing finish at Winged Foot.
O’Hair was an unrelenting challenger — “I didn’t bust my butt for four days to get second place” — but one after another others fired across Mickelson’s bow. First, Jose Maria Olazabal, back again after a birdie attack Friday, then the other Spaniard, Sergio Garcia, who eventually wound up second to Mickelson. Just a little earlier, the Atlantan, Stewart Cink, blazed around in 66 strokes, joining Olazabal at 280, and a tie for third place and a big hunk of this $9-million pot.
There is not much more to say about Mickelson, except to say that apparently his recovery is complete. With Woods, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, all the big guns in the field, he covered them all. Four days in this steely atmosphere brought out the best in the best left-handed player, now the second-ranked player in the world.
Oakmont, sight of this year’s U.S. Open, here he comes.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Furman Bisher
Comments
By Leroy Rogers
May 13, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this
You are right again Mr. Bisher. Tiger is the only one who complained about the greens. He reminds me so much of Jack Nicklaus in his prime..never gave any other players credit…just the course and him! Good riddance Fat Jack.
Leroy Rogers Maryville, Tennessee
By Gene
May 14, 2007 9:13 AM | Link to this
When will the Falcon wise up and move on without Michael Vick?
Vick is a wealthy thug, plain and simple. He thinks he can do as he pleases and get away with anything. How can Petrino and Arthur Blank say that they believe Vick’s answers to his recent problems with the law? It’s never Michael’s fault! He is quick to blame everyone else except himself!
By Greg
May 14, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this
I’m trying to contact Mr. Bisher for a friend to ask a question. This friend is a life-long Atlantan and baseball fan. She has an impressive scrapbook and collection of memorabilia of the Crackers. Her question is this: Is Randy St. Claire, the pitching coach of the Nats, any relation to Ebba St. Claire, former catcher for the Crackers? She has some pictures of Ebba and wants to give some of them to Randy if they are related. I believe she already has tickets for an upcoming series against the Nats. If you or a reader is sure, we’d appreciate an answer. I’m sorry this doesn’t apply to your latest topic, but e-mailing columnists is not as easy as it used to be and I’m hardly an e-mail expert
By Joey
May 14, 2007 10:03 AM | Link to this
I don’t agree with Mr Rogers’ comment about Jack Nicklaus. He would fight to the end, but after the last putt of a tournament, he was always gracious to the victor. I heard Tom Weiskof talk about this after he beat Jack in a Senior US Open about 10 years ago.
By NRBQ
May 14, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
You must have been napping during the time that you say, “demons infected his swing at the 17th.”
He made a great swing, hit the ball on the perfect line, but used too much club.
By Leroy Rogers
May 14, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this
Back to Joey. We aren’t talking about a senior Jack Nicklaus. We are talking about him when he was known as Fat Jack. Also, him standing over his putts, forever, it seemed, caused a lot of weekend golfers to think the longer they stood, the better the shot. You are too young to remember Julius Boros, whose philosophy was miss ‘em guick. If O’hair is to become a star, he needs to speed up his game. Remember the incident involving slow play when Rory Sabbatini walked off the green before slow poke putted? His name has left me but he has no hair!